Kiss n' Make Up
by Closely
Summary: Kagome finally gets fed up with Inuyasha's inappropriate and harsh insults and leaves, without the jewel shards. Inuyasha is forced to find a new method to get Kagome to come back to the past and is sure he won't like it COMPLETE - TRI SHOT
1. Attacking and Leaving

**Kiss n' make up!**

**By:** Nikumu Chan

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha

**Author's note:** Please do forgive me if this fic isn't very good the idea came to me at 3:30 AM so please don't be mad. Well, read, enjoy, and review! ^^ Oh, and please, if this seems too cliché… tell me, onegai!

**Chapter 1:** Attacking and Leaving

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Kagome stomped through the forest to the Bone Eater's Well. She was pissed and warned everyone that if anyone, especially Inuyasha, followed her they could expect a broken limb. Inuyasha had started another fight with her and ended in a 'sit', a few threats, and a fuming Kagome storming off while calling that she wouldn't be back.

She wiped an unintentional tear from her eye, angry at the weakness.

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Inuyasha sat in a tree, high above the ground, glaring murderously at the sky.  He really despised fighting with Kagome, but it just came… naturally, almost, to fight back when she snapped at him. He sighed, taking his angry stare away from the bright sky.  He knew that if there was anyone to blame, it should be himself. But, as stubborn as he was, he wouldn't even think of letting himself admit it!

Inuyasha closed his eyes and let the scene replay in his head over and over as he sulked.

_Inuyasha suddenly halted in his step and stiffened. Something was coming. He signaled to the others and they crept to the bushes and prepared to attack if needed._

_Inuyasha saw that Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, and—wait! Kagome wasn't with them! He glanced back to the traveling path and groaned when he saw Kagome standing there, fumbling with her bow. _

_"Stupid wench," he muttered to himself. "Wench! What the heck are you doing?! Get the hell over there with Sango!" he hissed. _

_Kagome looked up from her bow to glare at Inuyasha. "I have a name; use it and I **may** consider listening to you. Mind you, **may** was the key word there," Kagome replied forcefully._

_Inuyasha stood tall, apparently unfazed by her harsh tone. "Get over there. **Now**."_

_Kagome declined stubbornly. "No," She crossed her arms and looked away from him, forgetting the bow clasped in her hand completely._

_"Idiotic wench, if—" He stopped when he saw something leap, with incredible speed, towards Kagome._

_Kagome looked back when she heard Inuyasha stop in the middle of his sentence; he never did that. She shrieked when she saw something jump at her._

_Inuyasha instantly, upon hearing Kagome's scream and seeing the creature-thingy _(**A/n:** Okay, I'm very sorry but I don't have a name for this so it's going to be creature, creature-like-thingy, or creature-thingy, 'kay? ^^; Sorry)_ jump, rushed forward, drawing out his Tetsusagia. He saw Kagome shield her face and brace herself for the attack from the creature-like-thingy just before he pushed her out of the way. The creature missed Inuyasha by bare centimeters._

_"Dang it! See why I wanted you out of the way?!" he growled to Kagome, who he held closely, not to mention protectively. The creature spun around, ready to launch another attack, and Inuyasha, upon noticing how close he was holding the human girl and seeing the demon ready, pushed Kagome away, rather harshly in her opinion, and attacked the creature._

_With one swipe of the Tetsusagia, the creature-like-thingy was on the ground, presumably dead. Inuyasha's thoughts of the creature being dead were confirmed when it evaporated into dust; also confirmed were the thoughts of it being a demon, though a very low class demon at that. Heh, to challenge the great Inuyasha… Suicide, it is… he remarked smugly, though to himself for there was no one to tell it to considering the demon was killed._

_"Good job, Inuyasha," Kagome congratulated and was greeted by a very annoyed scowl. "Don't look at me like that!" _

_Inuyasha glared then abruptly turned his back to her. "Stupid, lousy wench… always getting her ass into trouble and who always has to save her?! I hate that! I always seem to be her frickin' savior," he murmured sourly to himself, "Goddamned nuisance needs to start taking care of herself," _

_Even though Inuyasha's voice was quiet, Kagome heard every word. Not only did she hear him, but also each and every word seemed to stab mercilessly at Kagome's heart. She felt tears flood her eyes and cloud her vision but she stubbornly held them back. "That's all I am to you?" Kagome snapped, letting anger fill her veins and overtake the sorrow she blocked from view. _

_Inuyasha looked back at Kagome, making sure he didn't look her in the eye. He knew it would kill him if he did. "Yes! You're just a freggin' nuisance and a lousy shard detector!" _

_Miroku, Sango, and Shippou all gaped at his hostility. Sure, Inuyasha was known to say some nasty things but …that… that was just all-out cruelty after all she'd done for him!!_

_Kagome grasped the necklace, which held her Shikon shards, tightly. "Fine, you think you can do better?" she yanked the necklace over her head and threw it to the ground in front of her, grounding the jewel into the dirt with her heel. "You can do it on your own! I'm leaving!" Kagome declared before storming off towards the Bone Eater's well._

_Inuyasha briefly let his gaze fall to the taijiya, monk, and kitsune, then to the Shikon shards on the ground, and finally to Kagome's retreating back. He gathered his courage and followed. "Kagome, wait!" He grabbed her wrist and spun her around. Inuyasha faltered slightly when he saw her eyes glistening with tears._

_Kagome snatched her hand away from his hold and ran, calling, "Inuyasha, sit!"_

_Inuyasha collided with the ground rather painfully and growled at himself for being so stupid. She was crying because of it, dammit! How cold-hearted could he get today?!_

_Kagome almost smiled as she ran. Hearing Inuyasha's collision with the ground had a satisfied laugh bubbling in her throat and a grin tugging at her lips but she suppressed both. She turned again to see Miroku, Sango, and Shippou starting after her and Inuyasha prying himself off the ground._

_She angered. _

_Didn't she state that she was leaving, without them?! Couldn't they understand that?! She wanted to be alone! By herself… meaning no companions!! "Anyone who follows me can be expecting a broken limb," she warned loudly, so for the group to hear from her distance. She was positive they heard her because they paused in their step but they didn't stop completely. "I mean it! I'm not playing or kidding you; I seriously will!!" she added with a fierce growl, showing she was deathly serious. _

_Her companions froze and she ran, once again._

_"Kagome-chan," Shippou whimpered, "Come back, please?"_

_Miroku shook his head solemnly. "I don't think she's—"_

_Sango whacked him over the head and finished for Miroku, "I don't think she's going to be gone long, is she, Inuyasha?"_

_Inuyasha gave Sango a sharp look and stalked off in the opposite direction of Kagome, growling a warning for them not to follow._

Inuyasha sighed again; narrowing his now opened eyes. Could he get any stupider?! At that, could he get any guiltier?! Now that he said it, he realized how foolish he was even though he **seriously** didn't mean for it to come that way. 

He felt like pounding his head on the tree for his rash statements that cost him Kagome's presence. The worst thing was, she left her jewel shards behind and the only way for her to come was **with** the jewel shards._ I hope someone picked those up…_ Inuyasha sighed, knowing the option of his getting her to come back was next to impossible. 

She was stubborn and they all knew it. She could compete with Inuyasha, at times! They also knew that Kagome could hold horrible grudges when it concerned Inuyasha, if she wanted. He almost growled at that thought. "There's gotta be a way to get her to come back," he said to himself, "And if there is, I'll find it and figure how to use it! She's gotta get back here for—"

_For what? For the jewel shards? Nice cover up, but that's not it and I know it. For Shippou? He needs a mother figure and she's perfect... along with me we could be gr—_what?! _Where did that come from?! _A slight blush found its way to Inuyasha's cheeks. _Dammit!! …. That's still not the answer, is it?_ Eyebrows furrowed and a concentrated look on his face formed as he looked over the options. Why did he want her back?_ Sango? Kagome's the only thing she's got left that's actually worth something . . . other than that crooked lecher, but she won't admit that_. (**A/n:** ~.^ Sorry, I'm a pretty big fan of Sango/Miroku too!)  

_Hmm… to humor Miroku, maybe? Nah, Sango does that just fine_. Inuyasha chuckled slightly when he heard a familiar shout, from below, and a thump, which was undoubtedly Miroku being pounded into the ground. 

_To fight? Nah, Miroku, Sango, and I handle that pretty well on our own._ Inuyasha sighed. There was only one option left and that one he was **trying** to avoid at all costs, but now he couldn't deny it considering it was his last, fricking option. 

_For… me? _Inuyasha sighed again as his cheeks darkened with color; he didn't like that thought…_ Dammit! That _had_ to be the last option, didn't it?! I'm almost positive the others have noticed that I do fight better when she's around… but, is that the _only_ reason I keep her around? I know it's not because of her fighting skills, because she—**wait!** What am I saying?! She fights pretty damn well for a human, of course, especially for a young priestess who just started out with that stupid bow! She's saved my ass a few times with that thing… or by just being all-out stupid and trying to fight for me, but that hasn't happened lately. I know that's a pitiful reason and I know there's another one. I'm pretty sure I even know what it is but there's no way in **hell** I'm going to admit that, even to myself, any time soon! Love. Heh! What a **stupid** concept?!_

Inuyasha decided to take himself up on the earlier option of hitting his head on the tree repeatedly for the time being. He'd think of a plan later.

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**A/n:** First chapter looks seemingly done to me! Well, here ya'll go and I hope this isn't _too_ cliché to any of you. Comments and any suggestions are welcome in reviews…. just remember to actually review please!  

Nikumu 


	2. Planning and Advising

Kiss 'n Make up 

**Disclaimer:** I **don't **own Inuyasha

**A/n:** Sorry for the long wait everyone; I've been having trouble with finding the right words to play out this chapter!! I'm so sorry!! Please read, enjoy, and review! I hope ya'll like it!

**Chapter 2:** Planning and Advising

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Shippo sat hunched at the trunk of the tree Inuyasha choose. Really, he didn't have any sympathy for the hanyou, but Inuyasha was the only one who could get her to come back! He wailed inwardly. And, if there was **any **chance she'd come back, Inuyasha'd have to apologize. Shippo whimpered pitifully. Fat chance! Even if Inuyasha **did** apologize, it was going to take more than that to mend the mental break down that Kagome had, obviously, went through. He buried his head in the tiny paws of his hand; this was terrible!! The small kit scrubbed his eyes as they mercilessly stung with tears. 

Giving up, he wailed loudly with sobs causing Sango and Miroku to break off momentarily from their on-going, rather one-sided, battle. Sango, taking pity on the crying Kitsune, scooped him up and attempted to soothe him.

Above, the repetitive cracks of Inuyasha's skull against the tree continued furiously. He was so frustrated with himself—No, that **girl**—Wait! It wasn't her—_Argh_!! This was her fault! She was making him feel guilty! It was a spell—Or something! Then again, he knew better than to call her powers a **spell!** They were more like mistakes, anyway… But, they were nothing compared to Kikyou's—Grr, there he went again! _Stop!_ Suddenly dizzy from a particularly damaging jolt to the head, Inuyasha fell back on the tree branch and, watching the stars dance in his vision, barely prevented falling from the height… without the word…

As the colorful dots receded, Inuyasha sat up, clutching a painful bump on his head. He sighed, pulling his hands away, nearing defeat of his thoughts. _Maybe you should ask for advice_, a small part of his mind hummed. _No!!_ He protested instantly. He would **never,** under **any** circumstances, ask for help or advice of any kind…

Later, Inuyasha found himself sitting before Kaede, relaying the early events that haunted him. 

Kaede waited patiently for him to finish. She hadn't dared interrupt him when things became confusing; she feared Inuyasha loosing his interest or his simple train of thought when she really, secretly was eager to have heard of their squabble.  She'd always found their quarrels fascinating...

"…And she threw down the necklace, threatened us, and stalked off…" he huffed sulkily, and added an afterthought of, "Anyone mentioned anything about it, by the way?"

Kaede shot him a faint smile, but ignored the hasty query. "First, Inuyasha, you must apologize."

Inuyasha muttered a few sour words, looking away. He held an expression that seemed to say: _"How could I even **think** of doing **that**?"_

Kaede broke out into a wrinkled grin. It was truly amusing; she had to admit it. Inuyasha denied the simple things that he had, clearly, been thinking about himself. She let out a short, croaking laugh. He was so stubborn! "Do you want her to come back?" 

Inuyasha snorted. She took that as a definite _"yes"_ and smiled again. "Then you must apologize…"

Inuyasha sighed, perturbed. He stood and trudged out, calling, "Thanks for nothing, Old Hag!"

Kaede shook her head astutely, ignoring the comment. "Looks like he took my advice…"

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Arriving in her time, Kagome climbed up the wobbly, moth-eaten rope ladder and into the well house. 

Murmuring several foul words under her breath about "stupid hanyous", she stalked towards her house. She huffily announced her arrival and dropped her humongous backpack at the door. Receiving no answer and finding the courtyard rather empty, she assumed no one was home. Had she come back that early? Not bothering to find a clock and check, Kagome slipped off her shoes at the door and padded up the stairs, one supporting hand planted firmly against the wall as the other scrubbed her prickling eyes. It was all **way** too much to handle at the moment! And she had **exams** soon!!

Clearing her blurry vision, she pulled away her hand and fumbled at her neck for the necklace she wore. Finding it not there, she stopped dead in her tracks, expression horrified. She'd thrown away the necklace! She couldn't get back! Her hand slowly dropped back to her side and she began up the stairs again, each step slower than the last. She was stupid! Inuyasha would never come and get her… she could never go back… She sighed genuinely. 

Life was a bitch… 

She stumbled into her room, tripping over the mat at her door in her deep thought. How could she get Inuyasha to come to her without being able to speak to him? See him, for that matter…

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Inuyasha stomped over to his favorite tree and hopped into its lower branches. He needed to think, that was a definite. Growling at his lame proposition, he closed his eyes and turned his head skyward, allowing the warm light that seeped through the thick foliage of the tree to calm his temper.

Sighing, he turned his head away and… nearly fell from the tree!! He struggled to a seated position again to find a puffball attached to his face, squealing loudly. The hanyou figured it was Shippo and grabbed the kit by the scruff of his neck and yanked him away. "What the hell?!" he exclaimed.

"You **gotta** apologize to Kagome! What are you just **sitting** here for?!" the kitsune shouted squeakily.

Inuyasha blinked. "—the fuck? I don't **gotta do **nothing! Were you eaves-dropping?!" he demanded, dropping the kit on the branch in front of him to glare angrily. 

Puffing out his chest, Shippo crossed his arms stubbornly. "And if I was?" he challenged dangerously.

A low growl emitted from the hanyou and Shippo yelped in fright. "Oh no! I take it back!" The kit watched Inuyasha raise his hand to strike Shippo and he squealed, "If you hit me, I swear I'll tell Kagome!! She'll be even madder than now!!" Inuyasha cocked an unbelieving brow. "Watch me!" he yelled, hopping out of the tree. 

Inuyasha chuckled, shaking his head, as the kitsune landed less-than gracefully and ran, on all fours, through the forest. The involuntary smile dropped immediately as he realized what Shippo had said. _Kagome…_

He took a deep breath and exhaled. Why was it so hard? Why did he have to be so damned arrogant? Why did Kagome have to be so freggin' sensitive? **Why**?! Grr… Inuyasha huffed sullenly. He was utterly hung up on that girl and… and he **had** to be a stupid asshole… He was only concerned. Why couldn't she understand? …And… Why couldn't he get over her?

…Dammit…

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A tear slipped down her cheek as she stared at the wall. She didn't bother wiping it away; there was no use. It would only cause more to join. Another tear fell. _Dammit… too late._ She swiped a hand across her face and growled. _Idiot…_

Kagome turned on her stomach and buried her head in her pillow, hiding the tears.  Silent tears swept down her face, soaking the pillow beneath her. 

She'd left Inuyasha; she couldn't go back. She couldn't apologize. She couldn't see her friends… _Idiot!! _Why in the blue hell was she stupid enough to throw away the whole freggin' shard?! Maybe she could have just kept one or two teeny shards to trick him but no, she had to let that absurdity take over and leave the **whole,** freakin' shard!! Then again, it wasn't like Inuyasha would give a flying fuck if she came back or not… 

He had the jewel so why did he need her?! She could do nothing to help! She only got in the way! She couldn't fight! She couldn't defend herself. Hell, she couldn't even prevent getting kidnapped, for Christ's sake! Inuyasha didn't love her; he didn't even like her. He didn't even see her as Kagome… That only made the tears fall faster, noisily. She buried her head deeper in the pillow.

No more than fifteen minutes later, Kagome unexpectedly felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She stiffened immediately and whirled over on her back, squeaking with shock. 

Her **mother!** When did **she** walk in? Come home, for that matter?! She hadn't even heard her. Kagome ducked her head, realizing how horrid she must look. She could feel her eyes itch with irritation and she knew they were extremely red and puffy by feel; the tears streaks staining her face just added to her terrible appearance and, at the moment, she was feeling rather insecure. 

Sniffling, she felt her mother lifting her chin with her warm palm and she reluctantly looked up at Mrs. Higurashi. "Kagome, what happened?" her mother asked gently. 

Swallowing tears, she sniffled again and threw herself into her mother's warm embrace. She tried to explain the previous happenings, gulping back sobs once every while.

Kagome's younger brother and Inuyasha's fan, little Souta eaves-dropped on their chat. His eyes widened at the mention of Inuyasha's name but they soon narrowed at the words the hanyou had said to his Onee-chan. No one could talk to her like that! It wasn't nice! Eyes still narrow, he stalked off. He was Inuyasha's enthusiast no longer, that was for sure….

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Inuyasha sulked with a child-like manner. He gave up on the thoughts; they only disturbed him and puzzled him horribly.

There was only one option: Apologizing. _Heh, she won't let me near her house…_ he concluded. The only person who'll let me in would be… Souta. Mrs. Higurashi would be out of the question because, there was no doubt in his mind, Kagome had surely told her mother about what happened. He sighed, sanding in the branches. _Well,_ he thought, _It's worth a try…_ He stretched widely and dropped from the branch to the ground, landing a little less-than-gracefully, before taking back his offer with the lack of courage and retreating back to his tree.

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**A/n:** So, do you like it? Send me a review and tell me! ^_^ I hope you liked it! Oh, and, again, I'm sorry for the long wait! ^^;; 

**Remember me, **

Nikumu 


	3. Deciding and Rescuing

Kiss 'N Make Up 

**By: **Senko Tenrou _(Used to be Nikumu Chan)_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha.

**A/n: **Sorry, sorry… just don't kill me…

**Review Responses: **S'pose I'll do this since it's the last chapter….

Rekouri Sentusu: Sorry, blame the lazy gene… But, actually, when you think about it… I wasn't lazy – just busy with **other** things… 

_Junyortrakr__: _I hope that's spelled correctly—I can never spell your name right! -_-" I'll assure you, though, that he**will**make a sincere apology^^

_ChristyKay__:_ Heh… I forgot…? At least you're better than me…

_Kasazona__: _I hope you haven't stopped reading… ^^" I'm sorry I haven't been updating regularly but – if I did – this thing would'a been over in three days… How would **that**been fun? So ^_^""" I turned it into an—um, a five month thing!! ^^'' Sorry if you've lost faith in me… Look into Rekouri Sentusu for my pitiful excuse so I don't have to repeat it, ehee. 

See? There it is again!!!

_Anonymous: Mrrydinowl: _Erm, hope I got the name right – gotta love the spelling, lol. ^_^ Love your compliments, and I really appreciate 'em. If you're still reading, thanks a bunch!

Sara1664: Thanks! Awesome chattin' with you! 

_Authoress Pendragon__: _O, you changed your penname! Me too!! Yayayayayay!! Lol. _–Coughs–_ Okay, now, I'm serious when I say that you're, like, the best! ^^ You're cool – awesome to chat with – and give the best comments ^^'' Thanks for reading (If you're still willing, that is, heehee… Understandable if you're not, of course…) Tell Kicharo I said hi!! 

_LadyKoneko__: _Thankies!

_Divine-Heart__: _Thanks!

_Sabishii-sama__: _Got it here's more! Thanks, by the way!

_Pua__ Lahi Lahi__: _Thanks a lot!

Okay, whoa. That was a lot of writing… Heehee, see how lazy I can be? Ouch, my hands… 

…

O my god! I watched a really cool mo—

**Toshiro:** Okay, now, Senko, you're off subject_! –bops me over the head–_ **Focus!!**__

_–Rubs head–_ Ouch, okay. Happy? I'm on subject… Lem'me start this chapter now… 

**Toshiro: **That's what **I**was thinking…

Shush, I'm absorbing…

Chapter 3: Deciding and Rescuing 

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Inuyasha sat in his perch for hours, staring straight ahead at the tree diagonal from him. He'd picked at the side of the limb with his claws for just as long. It was long past the evening hours but he found that he wasn't tired in the least. He had long past made his decision, but he wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing. Nor did he know how to go about doing it – he was shaking like a leaf in the wind inside. 

He knew how to get there…

He knew how to act…

He'd trained himself with his words – they were plastered in his mind now…

Hell, he'd even recited them aloud once or twice and received an applause from the unknown listeners below. Of course, he was furious that they would **dare **eavesdrop on "The Great Inuyasha" but he couldn't help the pride and confidence that had bubbled in his chest even when he shouted down to them to _"Pipe down!"_

He had everything ready, but, the truth was, he was **afraid**.

He wasn't afraid in the face of death. He wasn't afraid when Naraku stood up to him and challenged him to fight. He wasn't afraid when his older, full youkai brother tried to kill him and claim the Tetsusagia as his own. He wasn't afraid when Kouga challenged him, trying to take away Kagome. Okay, so maybe he was nervous then, but, what the hell! He was **afraid** this time, though; he was afraid to face the wrath of Mrs. Higurashi… 

That woman was **scary **when she was angry!

Inuyasha suddenly blinked out of instinct, realizing he'd been staring into the transverse forest without blinking. He looked down at the tree where he'd been scraping his nails. There was a shape forming there. He tilted his head for a better look. His ears drooped with depression when he recognized the sketch.

It was a picture of Kagome…and himself.

Kagome had a scowl on her face, but her wide and innocent eyes were as normal as ever – and a beautifully curved and perfect body. Beside her was the object in which the scowl was directed – Inuyasha. It was only his head, but he could tell what he was planning to make. In truth, it was a disgrace of his handsome looks – the way he downgraded himself to some lesser and ugly being. It was hardly distinguishable, sketchy and imperfect unlike the drawing of the girl. At the bottom – below the two figures, were only five words: _"Kagome loves Inuyasha no more"_

Inuyasha's brow lowered dangerously, wondering **what** in all **Hells **convinced him to draw that—think that!! It wasn't over yet…

He had the urge to scratch out the whole, stupid sketch, but something invisible seemed to stop him. He shrugged and decided it better to stay for keep's sake. Jaw set, he finally rose from his perch, standing tall on the branch, and… hit his head on the branch above him. He howled in both surprise and pain.

The hanyou shook his head to clear his vision of the spots that danced in his vision, and took off for the Well. This night, he was going to fix this; he was going to tell Kagome—tell Kagome that he was sorry, that he wanted her to come back. This night, he was going to express his feelings for her by being with her, tell her how he'd felt for such a long time. Tonight, and every other night for the rest of his **and **her life...

He made it to the Bone Eaters Well at record speed and wasted no time in jumping – headfirst – into the well, a battle cry in his throat. But, sadly, he hit solid ground… headfirst. **_Ouch._**

Okay, maybe he **wouldn't **be seeing Kagome tonight. 

There went his enthusiasm…

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Inuyasha was pouting in the bottom of the Well, arms and legs crossed in a sulk with his head ducked down grudgingly, the next morning when the rest of the Inuyasha-tachi found him They had to nearly haul him out of the Well and force-feed him breakfast.

By noon, Inuyasha seemed to have returned to his **normal** "Inuyasha" self. He was stalking around, grumbling all afternoon about a "Stupid Well" until Kaede finally became weary of he murmuring and pacing and finally threw him out of the house for the rest of the evening.

Inuyasha wandered back on over to the place where Inuyasha and Kagome had fought, where he'd sketched that **stupid, _meaningless_** drawing, and where Kagome had thrown the Shikon Jewel down in a final fit of anger before stalking away. He really had hoped that one of the others had picked up the Jewel, but, of course, Kaede had to kick him out before he could ask them of it. Let alone was he able to tell them that he'd attempted to go see Kagome and failed – though he found that the observation they'd witnessed this morning with him in the Bone Eater's Well and pouting… he thought it was pretty obvious. But, then again, that was just his group…

Kagome would have realized it…

His heart tightened at the mere thought of her name – "bad sign" Father had always teased whenever he tried to explain "the birds and the bees" to Inuyasha, which unfortunately had went in one ear and out the other.

Inuyasha shook his head to clear the thoughts that were drifting off subject. Then, clearing his head, he began his search for the Shikon no Tama…

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He'd searched and searched but was so far unsuccessful. The only thing he'd succeeded in was giving himself a headache and becoming tired. Worry was starting to build in his stomach. If he couldn't find that Jewel or if someone **else **found it, Kagome was as good as **stuck** in her time, and him in his own. He had to find that stupid Jewel! He scaled the same tree that he'd sketched on and decided to finish the stupid drawing while he thought of another plan. 

His eyes wandered around to take in the scenery. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack – a very wanted and sought after needle.

A glint caught his eye as his yellow orbs cast a look over at the path again. He was up in an instant and diving out of the tree before he could even register where he'd seen what he expected to be the jewel. He flipped midair to land on his feet and assumed himself to have landed deftly… until he felt extreme pain in the ball of his right foot. He fell backwards off his feet with a yelp and pulled to cradle his foot when he found that something round and shiny was indented in it – painful. But, he found with wide eyes, wonderful… The Shikon no Tama!! He wedged it from his foot with a suppressed growl of pain and stood, feeling a strange static-like feeling in the palm that held the Shikon Jewel.

He plainly passed it off as the purifying power that the Jewel held within, shrugging. 

Inuyasha whooped and pumped a triumphant fist in the air before hurrying back to Kaede's house to tell the gang.

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"Ya know, we haven't seen Inuyasha all day…" Shippou declared suddenly, finding it rarely quiet now that both Kagome and Inuyasha were gone. The cramped room seemed so… empty without her… And so quiet without the hanyou – though he was rather thankful for that. Miroku was jumpy and temperamental. But, thankful, Sango and Kirara seemed to be able to keep up a cool act. 

"Well, that would be quite noticeable, Shippou**-chan**, since Inuyasha was kicked out earlier today." Miroku replied, patting Shippou on the head harder than called for because of his edgy temper

"Don't call me that, Miroku!" Shippou's squeaky retort came from below the houshi's hand, "And stop trying to **squish** me!!" he cried, squirming out of Miroku's reach only to find himself scooped up into Sango's arms. She stood and went to the doorway, shooing him out. 

"C'mon, Shippou, I think Houshi-sama needs some time alone…" the taijiya advised knowledgably, casting a glance back at Miroku. He'd been a stiff ever since Kagome threw down the Jewel and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why he was being that way.

Sango and Shippou had just made it off the raised floor when Inuyasha nearly barreled into them, excited beyond belief. "I got it!" he exclaimed, "I found it, I found it! Now I can get there!!" he laughed loudly – happily, and hurried inside, still yelling and shouting in ecstasy. Both Shippou and Sango, numb with surprise, trailed behind him and into Kaede's. What had gotten into him?

They found Inuyasha jumping up and down in excitement, trying to explain something, but to no avail, to the houshi – who seemed to be in the same daze that Sango and the kitsune had fallen into. 

"I found it, I found it, I found it!! Now, um, now I have to go there and… and I, uh, I have to say," he paused and turned away, muttering, "What was it that I needed to say?" he asked himself. 

Miroku's jaw dropped in sheer surprise while Sango and Shippou lost their balance, falling on their bottoms, in outrage and confusion. They didn't understand how much more idiocy Inuyasha's brain could take; they'd thought it'd already reached its capacity. Sadly, they found they were wrong. Recovering first, Miroku began calmly, "Inuyasha—" only to be cut off by a snort of laughter. 

"I was **kidding!!** Jeez, can't you guys take a joke?" He laughed again, nearly on the ground in amusement, while Sango had to refrain from attempting to strangle the hanyou. 

"Inuyasha," Sango began strangely, trying to suppress the shout in her throat, "would you like explaining, **calmly,** what it was you were so excited about **before** or **after** I **strangle** you?" she growled through clenched teeth, raising a fisted hand threateningly.

Inuyasha sobered immediately, a grin still on his face. "I found the Jewel!"

The rest of the group – Miroku, Sango, and Shippou – blinked. "It was… missing?" The taijiya ventured. 

"Yes, it was missing!!" Inuyasha exploded, on his feet, "Kagome threw it **down**, don't you remember?!" He held out a hand, palm up, "But **I **found it and **I'm **going to see Kagome!"

"Oooh…" the group chorused and Inuyasha sat down with satisfaction. Then endless reprimanding and threats started…

"Make sure to give her a few pats for me, 'kay?" Miroku requested with a lecherous brow rose. Inuyasha's eyes widened and cheeks reddened with embarrassment and he bopped Miroku on the head.

"Don't be a jerk, okay?" Shippou admonished wisely, hopping on his knee. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and shoved the kit out of his lap.  
  


"If you hurt Kagome any more than you already have, you **do** understand that I'll be forced to kick your ass, right?" Sango threatened with fire in her eyes and Inuyasha gulped, nodding uncertainly.

"You had **better** apologize!" they finally declared simultaneously. 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes again, muttering a "Duh!" under his breath. He stood defiantly and marched out of the house. He stopped once he was across the risen floor. He blinked – _wait a second…_ – and looked up at the sky. It was… dark. 

He cursed. 

**All day – **it took him **all day** to find that **stupid **Jewel. He snarled and about threw the Jewel in the dirt but the remembered all the trouble he'd gone through to **find** the stupid thing and instead stuffed it in his pocket. He clenched his fists in anger once the Jewel was out of sight and took a deep, calming breath. "Stupid Jewel!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, causing a few birds in the forest to flock away from their nests in fear of danger.

Inuyasha marched back inside, grumbling about "stupid days" and "not enough time in the world" this time, and rolled his eyes and the deadpanned looks that his three companions sent him.

*

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*

*

Inuyasha woke bright and early the next morning and stretched widely. He wanted to be out of there before any one else woke up to stop him. He snuck from the house and crept through the village. He dashed from behind the last clothesline to the forest's edge and clawed up a tree for quicker time. He leapt from branch to branch, quiet as possible so he didn't disturb the sleeping animals, until he reached the Bone Eaters Well. Jewel in hand, he took a deep breath and dived into the Well, eyes clenched shut.

Inuyasha cursed when he hit hard dirt, thinking the portal hadn't worked. But, instead of headfirst again, like last time, he found himself upright. He blinked his eyes open and looked up.

No forest. 

**Yes!!** It was the Higurashi's well house! 

Inuyasha merely leapt out of the deep well in favor of climbing up and looked at the closed well doors. _Well, it looks like she wasn't planning to try and come back for a while…_ Inuyasha thought grimly before grinning. "Well, that's just too bad… She's coming back today!" he promised himself aloud.

Inuyasha heaved at the doors, but they were locked. _Shit… who locked the doors? Dammit!_ He pushed harder but the doors only seemed to push back. He cursed again – stupid human contraptions... 

Now, he really didn't want to do this, but… he charged the doors at full strength.

A crash exploded and dirt and dust exploded near the well house. Inuyasha coughed, looking back with a sheepish look on his face at the hanyou shaped hole in the doors. A cry of surprise emitted from the house and he suspected that he'd woken someone up, cursing again. Inuyasha took cover in the trees as a groggy-looking Mrs. Higurashi raced outside in her bathrobe. Inuyasha frowned in worry – just the person he **didn't **want to meet.  

Kagome's mother took one look at the well doors and sighed wearily. "You can come out, Inuyasha; I won't bite, I swear…" she called tiredly.

Inuyasha's claws instinctively went to his ears. "You'll tweak, though," he grumbled, reluctantly dropping out of the tree guiltily.

Mrs. Higurashi managed a sleepy smile. "Now, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" she asked pleasantly – surprising Inuyasha, and ushered him inside for breakfast. 

"I, err, I came to see… Kagome…" he answered awkwardly. 

"Ah. To apologize, I suggest?" Mrs. Higurashi looked over at the hanyou, eyebrow arched in question. Her eyes flicked to his ears, which he'd uncovered, as if to dare him to say _"no"_. She smiled all the same, though, as she led Inuyasha to a seat at the low table.

Inuyasha gulped, "Uh, yeah, I guess…" he shrugged uncomfortably, eyes downcast.

"Good boy, Inuyasha…" Mrs. Higurashi cooed.

Inuyasha groaned and covered his ears again.

*

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*

*

Kagome yawned and stretched in her bed, sitting up. She rubbed her eyes and went to get out of bed when she sensed a presence at the foot of her bed. Her head whirled around to see Inuyasha sitting there… cross-legged… on her bed.

Wait a second… 

Kagome… Modern Japan…

Kagome's bed… Modern Japan…

Inuyasha… Senjoku Jidai…

**_Wait a second!!_**

What was Inuyasha doing here!?! Who let him in?! How'd he get in her room?!! In her era, for that matter!!

Her face blanked and she fell back in bed. 

_I'm dreaming… I am… I'm just—I'm gonna close my eyes and wake up and Inuyasha's not gonna be there and I'm gonna mope around all da because I can't get back to his era and I'm just gonna be a lazy ass… _

Kagome closed her eyes, opened them, and sat up again. 

Goddamnit… He's still there… 

She fell back in her pillows again.

Inuyasha watched this process with the utmost curiosity. Did she do this **every **morning?

Getting out of bed, Kagome closed her eyes for the last time and took a deep breath. "Inuyasha, **what** are you **doing** in my **_room?!?!_ **Get out, **get out**, **_get_****_ outtttt!!!_ **Who let you in here?!I'll **kill** 'em!What if I **_hadn't_** worn **anything** to **bed**!?!! O my**_ god _**_– _you**_ pervert!!!"_**

Inuyasha scampered out of the room, dodging the various objects that Kagome chucked at him. The door slammed closed behind her and he winced when it almost clipped his ear. He placed the ear to the door to listen for anything she said about him. Thankfully, she didn't – just random grumbling about "over-divulging mothers"… whatever the hell divulging meant. When she finished dressing and brushing her hair, Inuyasha heard Kagome approach the door and he scrambled away to slide down beside the door and look dejected. 

"Sorry," she apologized softly when she opened the door. Inuyasha, to help his chances, brushed it off for nothing.

He waited patiently for Kagome to complete her morning activities and eat a full plate of breakfast – she seemed rather quiet but he, again, brushed it off as nothing – before he asked for her to go walk with him, as Mrs. Higurashi had suggested, saying something about the atmosphere being better. Kagome accepted, again quietly. She seemed… **shy** to him… Could it be for the fact of how she left – in such a huff? Maybe she was feeling bad about it… 

Inuyasha took her outside and, pointedly leading away form the well house to let her know that he didn't **just **want her back in the Warring States Era (another tip from Mrs. Higurashi), showed her to the Sacred tree that they both liked so much (Mrs. Higurashi had mentioned something about her spending a lot of time at that tree) and set her down on the wooden bench that rounded the tree. She smiled slightly, looking around at where he'd taken her, and her smile brightened. 

_Yes!! Good choice Mrs. Higurashi!! _Inuyasha smiled back and he sat down beside her. First of all, he took her hand, holding it palm up, and placed the pieces of the Shikon no Tama that she'd thrown away in her hand. 

Kagome looked up in surprise; she'd been expecting him to take and keep them. Her smile broadened more. "Thank you…"

Inuyasha tried to smile back but he just couldn't get it. "I, uh, I wanted to say that… that I'm—I'm, uh… sorry. I'm sorry, Kagome. I never meant what I said. You're not a wench, you're not lousy—you're resourceful, you're not a nuisance, either—okay, I take that back… you **can** be a nuisance **sometimes**," He joked so not to sound so formal and trained. "I, err, I'm really—I didn't mean to be so harsh, really. I was just—just worried, I guess, and, um, I guess I'm not used to people **not** listening to me… I'm so—" Inuyasha was cut off when Kagome covered his mouth mid-word. He pulled back in confusion. 

She simply shook her head, smiling. "It's okay…" she forgave gently. "I don't care – you had your reasons and I had mine… It's over with. I just—I guess I overreacted." She grinned. "But that's just how I am, ne?" she laughed at her own joke but it soon faded when she realized that she was the only one laughing, "Yeah, I must be… I mean—"

"Nope! My turn. You're no ditz, you're not stupid, you're not cowardly—you're brave, and… No, you don't overreact…I do. I get angry and frustrated too quickly. I don't listen to proper instinct and I say the wrong things and mess up—"

"I don't care…" Kagome said again, "Inuyasha, I **don't **care. I don't care what you say. I just wanna go back—"

"No! Not until I say this!" Inuyasha interrupted. "I'm sorry that I never said this before. I know what you think—that I keep you around for the shards—but Kagome, even if it weren't for the shard, you know what? You'd still be with me; you'd still be in my era even if we didn't have t chase around Naraku and hunt down shards… because—because I guess I enjoy your company, you—you just—I don't understand how you do it but… you just… you brighten my day, I guess. Whenever someone's down, namely me, you know how to cheer them up. I look forward to our fights sometimes, just to be able to make up with you… I—I don't know, but you, err, I guess you just make me feel…good. Happy, almost."

Kagome opened her mouth to say something, astonished at his words. 

"No, no, no, I'm not finished." He shushed her, placing one finger across her lips, "Just let me say this one last thing. I don't know how you did it, Kagome, but, somehow, you've gotten me to care more about you than **anyone** in my entire **life**… I don't—I don't want to fight with you anymore…"

Kagome opened her mouth again to say the words she intended, but she found that she'd forgotten them. She closed her mouth again. All she could think to say was "thanks" and "me either" … what was she to say about him? She bit her lip and Inuyasha grinned at her reaction. _That's it!_ She thought suddenly.

"You really don't have to say anything, Kag—" he was amazed when her lips cut him off, covering his own. His surprise faded and his eyes drifted closed, kissing her back.

When she broke away, he blinked to register his brain. "Well, those were powerful words if I've ever heard them…" he grinned slyly, "Maybe we **should **fight like this more often…"

Kagome's jaw dropped and she slapped Inuyasha across the face. **"Pervert!** You really **are **turning into Miroku!" she huffed off playfully, and went to pack her bags for Senjoku Jidai.

Inuyasha smiled again, rubbing his cheek. Damn, he **hadn't** missed her slap, though…At least he didn't get sat. 

"Oh Inuyasha!!" Kagome sang from across the courtyard. 

"Yeah, what?"

"Sit!"

**_Thump!_**

****

Goddamned wench… 

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**A/n: **That was like the most cliché ending I've pretty much ever written… heehee… at least **I **think it's cliché… I dunno…

Review!!! Senko Tenrou P.s: Sorry about the spacing mess-ups..   


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